HOMEMADE LUXURY

With her love for everything white, black and natural materials, interior designer Tanja Jänicke has created this super-functional and modern home in the heart of Helsinki. This spacious 1400 square-feet apartment is filled with unique design solutions and wonderful details, most designed by Jänicke herself. Of course, it helps to have talent and a trained carpenter as a better half—the perfect team to make a design vision a beautiful reality. The bright and airy rooms have a very fluid design story that makes their love nest rather personal and special.

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SHADES OF GREY

A few months ago I was hired to stage this spacious 2-bedroom apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The look they were going for was modern, urban and sophisticated. That wasn't hard as the inspiration was right in front of me: the breathtaking views of Manhattan seen from every room in this pad. My mission was bring the urban scape inside and citify the mood of the decor. Hence my restrained color palette of black and soothing shades of gray—one of my favorite color combinations. My challenge was to make these tones (which many people consider severe) iook inviting and serene. As a matter of fact, this palette automatically makes any room look modern and sleek. The trick is to play with textures, patterns, volumes and the right accessories to add interest and soften the whole look. Ah, and don't forget to add a little touch of metallic to brighent up the space, it works like magic.

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A COLLECTOR'S DREAM

As the proud owner of a prop house for the filming industry, Alketas Pazis has one of the most amazing collections of mid-century modern and industrial antiques ranging from the 1900‘s to the 1950’s. Having one of the most extensive collections in Greece, he focuses on a more exclusive European segment of the avant-garde modern movement. The eclecticism of his pieces is what makes his collection so unique. Can you imagine living surrounded by these fabulous treasures? Well, as a matter of fact, this is how he lives, in this residence/showroom that houses his remarkable compilation inspired by public spaces of the past. This is just a sampling of his extensive collection to whet your appetite, so don't hesitate to go here to see more.

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A WAY WITH WORDS

I'm a strong believer that one's home must reflect who we are and emulate our style. Such is the case in the lovely home of Swedish designer Ylva Skarp. She has transformed an old school house into a very personal refuge. As a calligraphist, Ylva has employs her work as a unique decorating art form throughout her stylish home. For her words are more than that, they're patterns to embellish walls, floors and even furniture. If you're into typography, this home is a dream come true.

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Alpine Sophistication

Modern minimalism is not what comes to mind when I think of a chalet. But for the out-of-the-ordinary Chalet Béranger, this is what makes it unique. The design and interiors of this magnificent habitat in the French Alps were inspired by many valleys and mountains that surrounds it. The use of materials and futuristic forms is very unexpected for a traditional chalet, but in this case they work splendidly together. If minimalism is your thing, this mountain refuge is divine inspiration.

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House of Blues

Today, we're taking a day trip to the south of Brazil to visit this stunning flat in the city of Curitiba tastefully designed by Studio Guilherme Torres. This 1,600 square-feet apartment is filled with impeccable details and unique pieces of furniture — some designed by the architect himself. “The base for the decoration was the fusion of polymer cement, minty and blue colors and the use of a whole wall covered in pinus, a wood that has virtually no commercial value in Brazil. Another high point of the project was to expose the structural column right in the entrance door, composing a beautiful set with the dinner table.” Torres' daring choice of textures and materials, combined with the soothing color palette, makes these interiors quite provocative. To keep it interesting, he saved most of the color for the living areas, while using black and white for the decor of the master suite. I'm always blown away by the work that comes out of this remarkable Studio. You might also remember this captivating bachelor pad by this same Studio I posted back in October.

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Three Times The Charm

From uninhabited to fabulous, this heavenly 1600 square-feet Barcelona triplex finally, after twenty years of being neglected, got the TLC it deserved. The entire renovation was orchestrated by interior designer Bruno Reymond who's known for his minimalist style and striking interiors. In order to achieve the timeless atmosphere he was going for, Raymond chose white as absolute protagonist in this magnificent home, teaming it up with the perfect and elegant companion: black. His mix of furnishings is exquisite and unique, blending pieces from different eras and continents. And his choice of black and white artwork and white-lacquered African totems express the philosophy behind the decor. What a stunner!

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Ready For The Stage

Home staging is key in the world of real estate. It's a way of promoting and presenting a home in the best possible light for prospect buyers. First impressions do matter and can make or brake a sale. Actually, home staging is one aspect of my job that I enjoy very much. I work mostly with new developers who hire me to inject life into empty model units to showcase their best features. As buyer, sometimes it's is very difficult to visualize the layout of a a bare place and the possible solutions they can come up with. This particular loft was a project I worked on recently and a rather challenging one. I was presented with a white box with soaring 18-feet high ceilings and a tiny bedroom. My goal was to make it homey and inviting despite the pretty tall white wall in the living area. The best solution I found, and a very easy and economical one, was to design a stripped pattern to paint on the wall. The idea was to transform this empty canvas into a massive artwork and focal point for the space. Mission accomplished. Simple ideas and a some paint can be our best allies when looking for fun and inexpensive ways to revamp our spaces.

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